Osteospermum plant named ‘SAKOST8340’

ABSTRACT

A new  Osteospermum  plant particularly distinguished by a compact plant with good branching, flowers composed of ray florets having a purple base and a white and purple stripe towards the tips with white-grey disc florets, and flowers open pale colored and flower color increases in intensity over the next 2 to 3 flowering days, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Osteospermum hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘SAKOST8340’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety ofOsteospermum, botanically known as Osteospermum hybrida, and hereinafterreferred to by the variety name ‘SAKOST8340’. ‘SAKOST8340’ originatedfrom a hybridization in May-June 2008 in Marslev, Denmark of theproprietary female Osteospermum variety ‘206156’ (unpatented) and thecommercial male Osteospermum variety ‘SAKOST8201’ (U.S. Publication No.2012/0278960). The goal of this breeding program was to create a planthaving white and purple ray florets and white-grey disc florets.

In May-June 2008, the two Osteospermum lines ‘206156’ and ‘SAKOST8201’were crossed and seeds were obtained. The seeds were sown and plantswere grown in pots for evaluation. In winter 2008-2009, a line wasselected.

In February 2009, the line was first vegetatively propagated by cuttingsand re-evaluated in an open field and a greenhouse in May 2009. In June2009 and autumn 2010, the line was selected for further trialing and thestability of the distinct characteristics of this variety was confirmed.

The line was subsequently designated ‘SAKOST8340’ and was found toreproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagationvia vegetative cuttings.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

-   -   1. Compact plant with good branching;    -   2. Flowers composed of ray florets having a purple base and a        white and purple stripe towards the tips with white-grey disc        florets; and    -   3. Flowers open pale colored and flower color increases in        intensity over the next 2 to 3 flowering days.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Osteospermum plant is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form,foliage, and flowers. The photographs were taken in January 2013 and areof a plant grown seven months from transplant into 6-inch pots fromrooted cuttings in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions. Thecolors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventionalphotographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the mature inflorescence of the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘SAKOST8340’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inSalinas, Calif. Data was collected in January 2013 on 20-week-old plantsgrown approximately seven months from transplant into 6-inch pots undergreenhouse conditions in Salinas, Calif. Color references are to TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London(R.H.S.), 4^(th) edition. Anatomic labels are from The CambridgeIllustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms, by M. Hickey and C. King,Cambridge University.

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Compositae.        -   Botanical.—Osteospermum hybrida.        -   Common.—Osteospermum, South African Daisy.        -   Designation.—‘SAKOST8340’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—The proprietary Osteospermum variety ‘206156’            (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—The commercial male Osteospermum variety            ‘SAKOST8201’ (U.S. Publication No. (2012/0278960).-   Growth:    -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Cuttings will colonize a            2.5 cm diameter by 2.5 cm tall greenhouse tray cell with            peat-based plant media in approximately four weeks. Cuttings            are dipped in a normal dilution (1:9) of DIP 'N GROW, A root            inducing solution, in water. The trays are misted hourly            during rooting.        -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—Rooted cuttings            are transplanted to pots with a 16 cm diameter, one plant            per pot. Peat-based growing media is used. The pots are            watered using a 150 ppm to 200 ppm fertilizer solution using            18-8-18 fertilizer. The soil is allowed to dry between            watering. During the first few weeks after transplanting,            the plants should have evening temperatures around 15° C. to            18° C. for good root growth. When plants reach 7.5 cm to 10            cm in height they are pinched back to 5 to 6 leaves to            promote branching. Spring and summer daytime high            temperatures in Salinas, Calif. where the data was            collected, range from 16° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to bloom from propagation.—Approximately four weeks            when rooted vegetative cuttings are transferred to a 16 cm            diameter pot. Flowering season is all year in the United            States. Vernalization is not required to induce flowering.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Erect, branching.        -   Height (from soil line to top of foliage).—30.0 cm.        -   Width.—55.0 cm.-   Branches:    -   -   General.—1 main, 8 total; circular in cross-section.        -   Length (total).—20.0 cm; approximately 1.0 cm from the soil            line to the first node and 2.0 cm between the first and            second nodes.        -   Diameter.—0.7 cm.        -   Internode length.—2.0 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 143A (Green).        -   Pubescence.—Absent.        -   Appearance.—Dull.        -   Anthocyanin color.—Absent.-   Stems:    -   -   General.—Multiple, circular in cross-section.        -   Length.—12.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.3 cm.        -   Internode length.—1.5 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 143A (Green).        -   Pubescence.—Slight, color is RHS N155A (White), short,            hair-like fibers.        -   Anthocyanin color.—Slight, RHS 187A (Greyed-Purple).-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Surface appearance (both surfaces).—Dull.        -   Surface pubescence (both surfaces).—Slight.        -   Attachment.—Decurrant.        -   Length.—6.0 cm.        -   Width.—2.2 cm.        -   Thickness.—Less than 0.1 cm.        -   Color.—Upper surface: Closest to RHS 146A (Yellow-Green).            Lower surface: Closest to RHS 146B (Yellow-Green).        -   Venation color (both surfaces).—Closest to RHS 146D            (Yellow-Green).-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Number per plant.—40 to 50 in bloom.        -   Type.—Capitulum (head); disc florets are perfect and ray            florets are carpellate.        -   Flowering habit.—Determinate.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence on the plant.—3 to 4 days.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.        -   Seed production.—None observed.        -   Diameter.—5.0 cm.        -   Depth.—1.0 cm.        -   Petal (ray floret) number.—17 per inflorescence.        -   Disc diameter.—1.2 cm.        -   Disc floret number.—50 to 60 per inflorescence.        -   Peduncle length.—11.0 cm.        -   Peduncle diameter.—0.2 cm.        -   Peduncle color.—RHS 143A (Green) with RHS 187A            (Greyed-Purple) anthocyanin.        -   Peduncle texture.—Dull, slight pubescence; pubescence color            is RHS N155A (White).        -   Phyllaries.—Arrangement: 16 per inflorescence, free,            arranged symmetrically. Length: 1.0 cm. Width: 0.2 cm. Apex:            Acute. Margin: Entire. Shape: Linear; acute. Color (for both            upper and lower surfaces): RHS 143C (Green).-   Ray florets (ligules):    -   -   Corolla.—One ray per ray floret; only the outer row of            florets are the ray florets.        -   Number of ray florets.—21 per inflorescence.        -   Length.—3.0 cm.        -   Width.—0.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 76C (Purple) with RHS N81A            (Purple-Violet) stripes and at the base. Lower surface:            Closest to RHS 182B (Greyed-Red) with RHS 187A            (Greyed-Purple) stripes.        -   Pubescence.—Glabrous.-   Disc florets:    -   -   Color.—Closest to RHS 97C (Violet-Blue).        -   Shape.—Tubular.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Texture.—Dull, pubescent, shiny.        -   Size.—Length: 0.6 cm. Width: 0.1 cm.        -   Bud length.—0.7 cm.        -   Bud width.—0.1 cm.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Ovary.—Superior.        -   Stigma color.—RHS 155A (White).        -   Pistil form.—One style with two stigma branches.        -   Pistil length.—0.6 cm.        -   Stamens.—5, fused into a single tube.        -   Style color.—RHS 155A (White).        -   Anther color.—RHS N186A (Greyed-Purple).        -   Pollen color.—RHS 17A (Yellow).        -   Filament color.—RHS 155A (White).-   Disease and insect resistance: Osteospermum is very disease    resistant, however, the plants are susceptible to aphids, thrips,    whiteflies, and worms.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘SAKOST8340’ is a distinct variety of Osteospermum with flowers composedof ray florets having a purple base and a white and purple stripetowards the tips with white-grey disc florets. ‘SAKOST8340’ isdistinguished from its parents as described in Table 1 (color referencesare to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 4^(th) edition).

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Female Parent Male ParentCharacteristic ‘SAKOST8340’ ‘206156’ ‘207102’ Ray floret color Uppersurface is RHS White Upper surface is 76C (Purple) with RHS RHS 155DN81A (Purple-Violet) (White) with RHS stripes and at the base; 72B(Red-purple) Lower surface is closest stripes and at base; to RHS 182B(Greyed- Lower surface is Red) with RHS 187A RHS 155D (White) withstripes of RHS 77A, B and C (Red-purple)

‘SAKOST8340’ is a distinct variety of Osteospermum with flowers composedof ray florets having a purple base and a white and purple stripetowards the tips with white-grey disc florets. ‘SAKOST8340’ can becompared to ‘SAKOST8181’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,502). Differencesbetween the two varieties are described in Table 2 (color references areto The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 4^(th) edition).

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic ‘SAKOST8340’‘SAKOST8181’ Ray floret color RHS 18C (Yellow-Orange) with Upper surfaceis RHS RHS 75A (Purple) stripes and 77A (Purple) and streaks; RHS 75A(Purple) at the lower surface is base and RHS 10A (Yellow) at RHS 77B(Purple) the tip

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Osteospermum plant as shownand described herein.